Tikait to address farmers at Dharna Chowk today

Hyderabad: The All-India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC) will hold a 'Maha Dharna' at Dharna Chowk near Indira Park on Thursday. The Dharna is aimed at celebrating the victory of farmers in forcing the Centre to withdraw the contentious farm laws.

The Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait would be addressing the meeting. Interestingly, the TRS is unlikely to participate in the meeting. It says that the meeting was apolitical and was related to farmers and hence only farm leaders will attend it.

But it appears that there are some differences between the TRS and AIKSCC. The AIKSCC leaders alleged that the BJP and the TRS governments were playing with the lives of farmers. Instead of procuring paddy, these two parties were focusing on politics and vote mobilisation.

The AIKSCC state convener T Sagar said that the withdrawal of farm laws was an historic victory for the farmers. "Our struggle is continuing with three more demands. We demand the Centre withdraw the proposed electricity bill. They are also demanding that the Centre come up with an Act on MSP in the ensuing Parliament session. Another demand is that the Modi government should dismiss Union Minister Ajay Kumar Mishra for moving down farmers with his car. The dharna will be from 10 am onwards.

Sagar called upon all the trade unions, students, youth, women, tribal, social, minority organisations to join the dharna. After the dharna on Thursday, there would be protest programmes in districts on Friday, he said.